MU's dean of music gets full backing

The president of Mahidol University (MU), clinical professor Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, was greeted with loud applause when he met members of the College of Music at his office in the university's Salaya campus.

Staff and students were there yesterday to thank the president for supporting college dean Associate Professor Sukree Charoensuk and blocking his resignation.

Sukree had tendered his resignation on August 1 to claim responsibility for the Office of the Higher Education Commission's refusal to grant a bachelor's degree for two of the seven programmes in music provided by the college. His resignation was to take effect on September 30.

At about 9am, students and staff dressed in black and white staged a musical rendering calling on Sukree to stay on.

"The university will not lose him," Piyasakol told the gathering.

"He is a valuable member of |the personnel, and MU will provide support and push for the music industry technology and music business programmes to be included in the bachelor's degrees granted by Ohec."

He said MU had called on Ohec to inspect the college's teaching standards, and expected the authority to send an officer over  tomorrow.

"The programmes are in line with international standards," Piyasakol said.

The associate dean of the college, Krit Buranavitayawut, thanked the president for his words of encouragement, adding that students from these two programmes also had to study core courses such as music theory, history and skills.

Sukree said 65 per cent of the credits were given to music and professional subjects, which exceeds the criteria set by Ohec.

He added that some of the 332 graduates in both programmes were running their own businesses or had been employed, while some even worked as university lecturers. Others had pursued their studies overseas in countries such as the United States, Germany, Austria and Canada.

Two students, who wanted to be identified only as Thanyaluck and Kittiporn, said they were studying in the music business field, but if they were given a Bachelor of Arts instead of a music degree, they would not be able to study further overseas.

"We have the skills and practise playing musical instruments for several hours every day," Kittiporn said.

Thanyaluck said: "At the most basic level, students have to learn how to sing the correct notes as well as play a traditional instrument and an international one."

The college's students and members of staff will stage a musical protest tomorrow in front of Ohec to show their support for Sukree.

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